title: Serum matrix metalloproteinase-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 levels in patients with tick-borne encephalitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) play important roles in the function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). To investigate the function of the BBB during tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), the levels of MMP-9 and its common tissue inhibitor, TIMP-1, were measured in serum from patients with acute phase of TBE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum MMP-9 and TIMP-1 levels were measured in 147 patients with TBE and 153 controls by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum MMP-9 levels and MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratios of TBE patients were significantly higher than controls (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.005, respectively). There were no significant differences in serum TIMP-1 levels between TBE patients and controls. Serum MMP-9 and TIMP-1 levels and MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratios were not associated with age of the patients. However, TBE-positive males with TBE had higher levels of MMP-9 than TBE-positive females (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that the increased serum level of MMP-9 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio is associated with the pathogenesis of TBE. Serum MMP-9 can serve as an indicator of breakdown of the BBB and inflammatory brain damage during TBE.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palus
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, Hospital České Budějovice, Boženy Němcové 585/54, CZ-37001 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zampachová
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Elsterová
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Branišovská 31, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Department of Virology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 70, CZ-62100 Brno, Czech Republic. Electronic address: ruzekd@paru.cas.cz.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Růžek
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9
keywords: Blood–brain barrier; Matrix metalloproteinase-9; Tick-borne encephalitis; Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1